The Twenty20 Way of Life
Cricket is the flavour of the season and all ye cricket lovers are getting an overdose of it. A little over five months after one cricket World Cup has ended, another has just begun. The inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, which was viewed by suspicion by many, is turning out to be a darling of most critics. It has enthralled the masses, classes and critics alike. What’s making this game so relevant today? Would it have been as successful in India 5 years earlier? Probably not. There is something about the societal and cultural changes shaping India today that tells you that the timing is apt and Indians are going to lap up this snappier, jazzier and a more gripping form of cricket.
All the critics who cried hoarse that test cricket was the “real thing” and that genuine cricketers played only test cricket are being forced to reluctantly accept this new format as it moves on to become part of the establishment.
Life is transforming and so is this game of cricket. You see evidence of change reflected and manifested in life all around you.
More Money, Less Time
Today as we spend more and more time working, we are spending less time living. Time being under finite constraint, we are keeping a number of pots boiling at once. We are compressing activities into more concentrated doses, whether weekend trips, 'shopping-movie-dinner-family bonding' all rolled into one. We see our lives as a matrix with a series of little boxes that need to be filled with myriad activities. This form of the game fits-in neatly like a little cube in this matrix. It occupies the same slot as any evening out - watching a movie at a multiplex or hanging out with a bunch of friends after work. It is fulfilling the need to entertain and unwind after a hard day’s work. What ICC has effectively done is that it has taken something which already existed and refined it with the catch line “twice the action in less than half the time”.
Present Perfect
Seize the moment. With the speed and complexity of life taking a dramatic toll on our psyches and spirits, people have begun to accept, believe and internalize that the present is all we have. And that exactly is the spirit with which the batsmen go out in the field. The equation is skewed in favour of the batsmen marginalising the bowlers. Every ball is an opportunity – you either seize it or lose it. Yuvraj showcased this when he hit the ground running with 6 sixes in 6 balls.
Intelligent risk taking
Risk taking has been an integral part of business and life, but today the game belongs to those who know how to manage risk properly. The growing numbers of IITs/IIMs opting for entrepreneurial ventures hinges on the premise of intelligent risk-taking. The word risk has a slightly negative connotation to it — it implies danger, tension, and possible loss. But risk also has a positive side, the chance of hitting a big win, of getting more on the back side than you invest on the front side. The most intelligent risks are those where the potential downside is limited, but the potential upside is virtually unlimited. As in this game, success in life belongs to those who have dared to take calculated smart risks.
Attention-Deficit Syndrome
Like airplane seats and fresh food, attention is becoming a highly perishable commodity. As daily demands, cell phones, iPods, home computers, DVDs, televisions, laptops compete for a share of consumer consciousness and invade our lives; people are finding their experience of reality so fragmented that their ability to concentrate is getting drastically reduced. Going forward, such distractions are only going to intensify. Consumers are seeking out fun and engagement in just about every buying decision. Even cricket which was considered a form of recreation, today needs to enhance its entertainment quotient and provide instant gratification. That possibly explains the introduction of music, dance and cheerleaders to pep-up this “gentleman’s” game and grab attention of this fickle channel surfing viewer.
The beast in the gentleman’s game
Liberalization and developments in the last few years have opened opportunities for us to compete against the best in the world. A seething drive punctuated by energy and enthusiasm is the need to be successful. And cricket, unlike soccer and rugby, has never been considered an aggressive game - always considered a timid counterpart. This new version of the game is driven by the desire to bring out the best in individuals which we are able to identify with. Thus, energy, enthusiasm and aggression that characterize this format are set to make cricket a worthy competitor to the other more aggressive sports.
Summing up, cricket in India has at various points of time mirrored the changing faces of India from the laid-back and relaxed 5-day cricket matches punctuated by crests and troughs to the “sped-up” ODIs to the “Express” Twenty20. This lighter version of cricket goes down well with the generation that believes in equal opportunities and roots for the underdog. It is a generation that believes in the destination rather than destiny with no scope for ambiguity and draws - a generation that believes in celebrating the moment and moving-on till they find the next joy. The game is an ode to the optimistic, happy-go-lucky generation of today. The Twenty20 Way of Life
Friday, October 26, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
The Rise Of Social Media
The Rise of Social Media
Let me start by saying that reaching your target audience has never been so much complex in the media landscape. While I say its complex let me also add that possibilities to do such niche targeting were never available a decade or two ago.
In the last couple of decades we have seen a major shift in the media consumption habits. First, the media got fragmented giving consumers a plethora of options to choose from and marketers an ability to do a better profiling over various media options to reach their target audience. Then, with the digital wave the media landscape got fragmented further where the battle for eyeballs was not restricted to 100s of TV Channels or Magazines but to millions of websites and billions of webpages – Mass media had truly given way to Micro Media! And now, the consumers of media have become the creators of media – Welcome the Social Media! From being a receiver to a creator we are seeing a new face of consumers. Consumers today are using the digital platforms to share images, videos & opinions giving rise to the so called “user generated content” or “Social Media”. This changing landscape has brought new challenges and opportunities for marketers & calls for novel ways to leverage such platforms.
Talking about some of the opportunities first – This new world order is bringing consumers closer where they are forming communities around their common interest and preferences. These are all consumer driven communities where they are flocking by choice and not by chance. This has given marketers an opportunity to narrow cast their communication and reach to their target audience in the right context with minimal wastage. These connected consumers are also sharing & forming opinions through blogs & message forums. The word of mouth is traveling faster today through the word of mouse. These being digital conversations, give marketers an opportunity to monitor consumer preferences and opinions leading to better product development or service delivery. The “Free for all” media content which users are creating and consuming “on demand” has given marketers an opportunity to get their message across to a larger audience at minimal cost provided the consumers find a liking for their communication & brand. One can imagine the power of this media when a Nike commercial uploaded by some user gets more than 16 Million views on You Tube. We all know how much media money one would have spent to reach an audience of 16 million!
Brands always had a personality which consumers could relate to largely because of the legacy, positioning and advertising of the brand concerned. The new media has also given a voice to the brands where they can talk to the consumer – it gives an opportunity to talk one to one with the consumers at an informal level through blogs and communities. Increasingly brands have become open to start this dialogue with the consumers. It gives invaluable customer feedback and helps establish a more personalized relationship with your customers.
Along with these opportunities the new media has also made the life of the media planners and buyers more complicated. One can only plan that can be predicted and buy only what is up for sale. The new media is changing so rapidly that at times the trends are beyond prediction, what is a cool technology today can become a potent media tomorrow – take the example of Search! It’s the most disruptive media we have seen in recent times. The simple media buying rules of the traditional media also do not apply here – the media owners are scattered all over the place. Advertising Networks to a large extent have helped overcome this challenge but is regular banner advertising the best way to leverage these niche interest pages? Or, there is some new technology waiting to surprise everyone? We will get the answers only if we keep moving along this wave.
Another challenge will be to draw line between advertising and participation on these new media platforms. Advertising is mostly a one way communication where you convey what you want to the consumers and expect them to form a preference towards your brand over competitors where as participation is engaging in an active & trustworthy dialogue with your consumers. One should know where to draw a line between the two since both are received by consumers differently. For instance, users might not click on the banner ads they see on Face Book but they will be happy to install & circulate the Trip Advisors “Cities I have visited” Application!
All said and done, the media space has never been so exciting. Today, there are no thumb rules to reach out to your target audience. As marketers, we will have to keep inventing new rules to ride on this consumer wave. The power equation of media has surely changed hands – the faster we accept this reality the better it is!
Let me start by saying that reaching your target audience has never been so much complex in the media landscape. While I say its complex let me also add that possibilities to do such niche targeting were never available a decade or two ago.
In the last couple of decades we have seen a major shift in the media consumption habits. First, the media got fragmented giving consumers a plethora of options to choose from and marketers an ability to do a better profiling over various media options to reach their target audience. Then, with the digital wave the media landscape got fragmented further where the battle for eyeballs was not restricted to 100s of TV Channels or Magazines but to millions of websites and billions of webpages – Mass media had truly given way to Micro Media! And now, the consumers of media have become the creators of media – Welcome the Social Media! From being a receiver to a creator we are seeing a new face of consumers. Consumers today are using the digital platforms to share images, videos & opinions giving rise to the so called “user generated content” or “Social Media”. This changing landscape has brought new challenges and opportunities for marketers & calls for novel ways to leverage such platforms.
Talking about some of the opportunities first – This new world order is bringing consumers closer where they are forming communities around their common interest and preferences. These are all consumer driven communities where they are flocking by choice and not by chance. This has given marketers an opportunity to narrow cast their communication and reach to their target audience in the right context with minimal wastage. These connected consumers are also sharing & forming opinions through blogs & message forums. The word of mouth is traveling faster today through the word of mouse. These being digital conversations, give marketers an opportunity to monitor consumer preferences and opinions leading to better product development or service delivery. The “Free for all” media content which users are creating and consuming “on demand” has given marketers an opportunity to get their message across to a larger audience at minimal cost provided the consumers find a liking for their communication & brand. One can imagine the power of this media when a Nike commercial uploaded by some user gets more than 16 Million views on You Tube. We all know how much media money one would have spent to reach an audience of 16 million!
Brands always had a personality which consumers could relate to largely because of the legacy, positioning and advertising of the brand concerned. The new media has also given a voice to the brands where they can talk to the consumer – it gives an opportunity to talk one to one with the consumers at an informal level through blogs and communities. Increasingly brands have become open to start this dialogue with the consumers. It gives invaluable customer feedback and helps establish a more personalized relationship with your customers.
Along with these opportunities the new media has also made the life of the media planners and buyers more complicated. One can only plan that can be predicted and buy only what is up for sale. The new media is changing so rapidly that at times the trends are beyond prediction, what is a cool technology today can become a potent media tomorrow – take the example of Search! It’s the most disruptive media we have seen in recent times. The simple media buying rules of the traditional media also do not apply here – the media owners are scattered all over the place. Advertising Networks to a large extent have helped overcome this challenge but is regular banner advertising the best way to leverage these niche interest pages? Or, there is some new technology waiting to surprise everyone? We will get the answers only if we keep moving along this wave.
Another challenge will be to draw line between advertising and participation on these new media platforms. Advertising is mostly a one way communication where you convey what you want to the consumers and expect them to form a preference towards your brand over competitors where as participation is engaging in an active & trustworthy dialogue with your consumers. One should know where to draw a line between the two since both are received by consumers differently. For instance, users might not click on the banner ads they see on Face Book but they will be happy to install & circulate the Trip Advisors “Cities I have visited” Application!
All said and done, the media space has never been so exciting. Today, there are no thumb rules to reach out to your target audience. As marketers, we will have to keep inventing new rules to ride on this consumer wave. The power equation of media has surely changed hands – the faster we accept this reality the better it is!
Male?Female?Does Gender Really matter
Male? Female? Does gender really matter?
The concept of masculinity and femininity is changing at a scorching pace as the lady is becoming bolder and the gentleman is gearing-up to look beautiful. All around us we witnessing a blurring of the traditional ideals of the 2 genders, characterized by a transgression into each others domain.
Enter the New Man: He loves designer wear, is seen just as often near a catwalk as competing in sport, confesses adulation for Shakira, decorates his house and even changes nappies. He’s spending his time differently - not only occupying more of it in front of the mirror but also shopping at boutique stores, drinking at bars rather than pubs, enjoying a dance at a discotheque and going to beauty salons. Infact, new terms have been coined to describe these people – metrosexual, ubersexual, etc.
For decades, ‘Mills & Boons’ perpetuated the traditional ideals of masculinity and portrayed men as active, adventurous, powerful, sexually aggressive and uninvolved in human relationships. For years macho men were straitjacketed of traditional expectations of the dark, strong, silent types and were forced to keep their emotions under wraps for the fear of being ostracized from their conventional domain.
It is only now that the image of the Sensitive new man has emerged with a sanction to showcase his gentle and caring side, and is officially allowed to invest emotionally in relationships.
Why are we witnessing this mindset change? What are the drivers to this behavior? There are a few theories floating around on the subject. One of them concerns women – more specifically, the changing role of women in society. With the changing reality of women’s social position, women today have successfully stormed bastions of male power.
As the presence of women has increased in men's social and working lives - as their rights have been belatedly recognized - men have changed the way they act. As women have pushed for equal rights, the success of that push has been the single most significant contributor to the emergence of the ‘New Man’.
The economic motivation because of her enhanced purchasing power has fueled the emergence, albeit grudgingly, of the ‘New Woman’.
The 'New Woman' - independent, confident and assertive, finding satisfaction in the world of work and recreation, seeking excitement, adventure and fulfillment. A distinct change from her earlier image of a passive, submissive, and marginal, performer of a limited number of secondary and uninteresting tasks confined to their emotion and their domesticity.
What implications do these trends have for marketers, products and brands? With gender being the most common form of segmenting and targeting used by marketers in general and advertisers in particular, the blurring of boundaries is posing its own set of challenges.
John Gray’s best selling book ‘Men are from Mars and Women from Venus’ reminds us that the fundamental gender differences in attitudes and behaviors are biologically inherent. For example, at the risk of generalizing, while women prefer lighter shades like pink and curvy lines, men prefer darker shades such as black and straight lines. While men get turned on by machines and gadgets, for women it is about looking and feeling good.
For categories predominantly used by one of the sexes, the gender choice when it comes to product development and communication is relatively simpler. It is a matter of keeping abreast with the latest trends in the dominant gender. The strategy is driven by insights emerging from a deeper understanding of the gender.
For example, Raymond’s has kept itself relevant even today by continuously evolving its portrayal of the Man. Chevrolet Optra’s famous ‘Karva Chauth’ ad owes its success to the understanding of the gentle, caring side of man. Gillette’s communication of the ‘soft, smooth skin’ benefit, up until now understood as a woman’s need, is also stemming from this evolving trend.
Advertising for women has also moved from objectifying women’s bodies to portray a more progressive image of women. These images now show women at work, adopting a male role, working as an equal alongside or even in frontline. Categories like fairness creams, refrigerators, washing machines, to name a few, have successfully depicted facets of the evolving ‘New Woman’.
But when you are a marketer of a brand being consumed equally by both the sexes, it could become a challenge answering some of the typical marketing questions. Or when the product is gaining acceptance at a fast pace amongst the other sex. Whom do you cater to - Men or women or both?
A lot of marketers are facing this dilemma today with a lot of products traditionally in the domain of one of the sexes, have gained substantial acceptance amongst the opposite sex as well. Entry level cars, mobile phones, jeans, health care products, sunglasses, insurance products and cosmetic brands, to name a few categories, are catering equally to males and females. Would gender then be a viable basis for segmentation?
While most personal care products have created differentiation at the product stage through variants and line extensions (for example, Clinic All Clear Dandruff shampoo, Emami fairness cream, Nivea and Polo have variants for men and women), the challenge still remains in ensuring a brand ethos which is all encompassing and not influenced by gender.
However, categories like cars, mobile phones, insurance, etc. do not divide consumers into demographic groups when creating a product, atleast not in the traditional sense. Every product is supposed to perform a role in the lives of the consumers. The role comes from the need(s) that the product is expected to satisfy. Hence, it makes a sense to segregate consumers on the basis of needs. Every human being, male or female, is first an individual having his/her own special needs. Take for example cars. A lot of people would assume it to be a male device. With increasing number of working women, it is as much a transport need for her as it is for men. Walk in to any parking lot or hot spot today and you would see an equal number of females driving cars. The need that the car is satisfying is that of a progressive lifestyle of the individual, be it a man or a woman.
One can observe a similar story with mobile phones. The need that the mobile phone is satisfying, in this case, is that of a big screen with a lot of features like music which makes it a unisex product.
The important thing to remember is that in today’s competitive, ever changing environment, business must keenly aware of the emerging trends to create successful products that meet and exceed consumer needs and expectations. It is essential to stay close to the consumer to learn what is influencing them.
The concept of masculinity and femininity is changing at a scorching pace as the lady is becoming bolder and the gentleman is gearing-up to look beautiful. All around us we witnessing a blurring of the traditional ideals of the 2 genders, characterized by a transgression into each others domain.
Enter the New Man: He loves designer wear, is seen just as often near a catwalk as competing in sport, confesses adulation for Shakira, decorates his house and even changes nappies. He’s spending his time differently - not only occupying more of it in front of the mirror but also shopping at boutique stores, drinking at bars rather than pubs, enjoying a dance at a discotheque and going to beauty salons. Infact, new terms have been coined to describe these people – metrosexual, ubersexual, etc.
For decades, ‘Mills & Boons’ perpetuated the traditional ideals of masculinity and portrayed men as active, adventurous, powerful, sexually aggressive and uninvolved in human relationships. For years macho men were straitjacketed of traditional expectations of the dark, strong, silent types and were forced to keep their emotions under wraps for the fear of being ostracized from their conventional domain.
It is only now that the image of the Sensitive new man has emerged with a sanction to showcase his gentle and caring side, and is officially allowed to invest emotionally in relationships.
Why are we witnessing this mindset change? What are the drivers to this behavior? There are a few theories floating around on the subject. One of them concerns women – more specifically, the changing role of women in society. With the changing reality of women’s social position, women today have successfully stormed bastions of male power.
As the presence of women has increased in men's social and working lives - as their rights have been belatedly recognized - men have changed the way they act. As women have pushed for equal rights, the success of that push has been the single most significant contributor to the emergence of the ‘New Man’.
The economic motivation because of her enhanced purchasing power has fueled the emergence, albeit grudgingly, of the ‘New Woman’.
The 'New Woman' - independent, confident and assertive, finding satisfaction in the world of work and recreation, seeking excitement, adventure and fulfillment. A distinct change from her earlier image of a passive, submissive, and marginal, performer of a limited number of secondary and uninteresting tasks confined to their emotion and their domesticity.
What implications do these trends have for marketers, products and brands? With gender being the most common form of segmenting and targeting used by marketers in general and advertisers in particular, the blurring of boundaries is posing its own set of challenges.
John Gray’s best selling book ‘Men are from Mars and Women from Venus’ reminds us that the fundamental gender differences in attitudes and behaviors are biologically inherent. For example, at the risk of generalizing, while women prefer lighter shades like pink and curvy lines, men prefer darker shades such as black and straight lines. While men get turned on by machines and gadgets, for women it is about looking and feeling good.
For categories predominantly used by one of the sexes, the gender choice when it comes to product development and communication is relatively simpler. It is a matter of keeping abreast with the latest trends in the dominant gender. The strategy is driven by insights emerging from a deeper understanding of the gender.
For example, Raymond’s has kept itself relevant even today by continuously evolving its portrayal of the Man. Chevrolet Optra’s famous ‘Karva Chauth’ ad owes its success to the understanding of the gentle, caring side of man. Gillette’s communication of the ‘soft, smooth skin’ benefit, up until now understood as a woman’s need, is also stemming from this evolving trend.
Advertising for women has also moved from objectifying women’s bodies to portray a more progressive image of women. These images now show women at work, adopting a male role, working as an equal alongside or even in frontline. Categories like fairness creams, refrigerators, washing machines, to name a few, have successfully depicted facets of the evolving ‘New Woman’.
But when you are a marketer of a brand being consumed equally by both the sexes, it could become a challenge answering some of the typical marketing questions. Or when the product is gaining acceptance at a fast pace amongst the other sex. Whom do you cater to - Men or women or both?
A lot of marketers are facing this dilemma today with a lot of products traditionally in the domain of one of the sexes, have gained substantial acceptance amongst the opposite sex as well. Entry level cars, mobile phones, jeans, health care products, sunglasses, insurance products and cosmetic brands, to name a few categories, are catering equally to males and females. Would gender then be a viable basis for segmentation?
While most personal care products have created differentiation at the product stage through variants and line extensions (for example, Clinic All Clear Dandruff shampoo, Emami fairness cream, Nivea and Polo have variants for men and women), the challenge still remains in ensuring a brand ethos which is all encompassing and not influenced by gender.
However, categories like cars, mobile phones, insurance, etc. do not divide consumers into demographic groups when creating a product, atleast not in the traditional sense. Every product is supposed to perform a role in the lives of the consumers. The role comes from the need(s) that the product is expected to satisfy. Hence, it makes a sense to segregate consumers on the basis of needs. Every human being, male or female, is first an individual having his/her own special needs. Take for example cars. A lot of people would assume it to be a male device. With increasing number of working women, it is as much a transport need for her as it is for men. Walk in to any parking lot or hot spot today and you would see an equal number of females driving cars. The need that the car is satisfying is that of a progressive lifestyle of the individual, be it a man or a woman.
One can observe a similar story with mobile phones. The need that the mobile phone is satisfying, in this case, is that of a big screen with a lot of features like music which makes it a unisex product.
The important thing to remember is that in today’s competitive, ever changing environment, business must keenly aware of the emerging trends to create successful products that meet and exceed consumer needs and expectations. It is essential to stay close to the consumer to learn what is influencing them.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Brands ageing faster....a human connection
Brands ageing faster: A human connection
Brands are like human beings in a lot of ways. In many customer researches, a common question is “If this brand were a person, who would it be?” Customers are always able to personify the brand with such detail that you could clearly visualize him/her. This is because our choice of brands is a reflection of ourselves. If we like a brand, it’s because it has positive personality traits that we either possess or aspire to have. Levi’s is cool, ipods are trendy and Chevrolet is attractive and stylish.
Apart from having a personality link, brands behave like human beings even when it comes to their lifecycles. Much like people, brands are born, they grow, and they mature, go through a decline phase and eventually die.
Today, we are witnessing an interesting trend with brands ageing faster much like what we are observing with people around us. Kathleen McDonnell in her book “The Hurried Child” looks at how children are being pushed on to the fast track to adult success by societal pressures and anxious parents. Physical and behavioral changes that would have been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common among "tweens" — kids ages 8 to 12. The lines that used to distinguish between adulthood and childhood are growing blurred and the evidence is all around us with 6-year old girls dressing-up in navel bearing outfits and 8-year old boys playing adult computer games.
Technology and consumerism are having a similar impact on the lifecycle of brands. Globalization, rapid communication and technological advancements have accelerated the ageing of brands. The internet has been a significant inflection point here as it enables the rapid dissemination of ideas and development of products around the globe. In effect, it acts to shorten the lifecycle in many categories.
Products emerge, surge, diffuse and are purged. With changing consumer tastes and preferences, some products becomes popular relatively quickly, but are also losing popularity dramatically and are being replaced by the next bright promise. Why are we witnessing this trend? Novelty attracts our nervous systems; our faith is progress and our passion is hope. Something new might be the next great thing (the last one sure wasn't); no matter how bizarre it seems at first.
All this has led to the product life-cycle curve becoming steeper today than ever before, indicating that an increasingly large proportion of sales occur soon after the introduction of the product. A narrow window of opportunity exists to earn profits on a new product before competition catches up and margins begin to shrink. It is not only imperative for companies to be first-to-market with their product, but also to be able to ramp-to-volume quickly to meet early product demand. With shortened life cycles, companies cannot afford to miss out on the initial bang, and stock-out becomes an expensive proposition. But with technological advances, the quality of products is improving greatly resulting in an interesting paradox for marketers – while the products are lasting longer, the time in which they are outmoded is growing shorter.
Thus, in effect, the S-curve is changing shape in the case of a number of product categories with the curve getting steeper at the growth stage and a longer lasting flattened curve at the maturity stage.
That is why, from planning to implementation to the final act of selling, marketers have had to fast forward their act. This impacts everything: from designing products to logistics to distribution, to marketing communication. Marketers have to invest heavily in a short span of time for the maximum returns. The gains are great, so too are the risks.
Brands are like human beings in a lot of ways. In many customer researches, a common question is “If this brand were a person, who would it be?” Customers are always able to personify the brand with such detail that you could clearly visualize him/her. This is because our choice of brands is a reflection of ourselves. If we like a brand, it’s because it has positive personality traits that we either possess or aspire to have. Levi’s is cool, ipods are trendy and Chevrolet is attractive and stylish.
Apart from having a personality link, brands behave like human beings even when it comes to their lifecycles. Much like people, brands are born, they grow, and they mature, go through a decline phase and eventually die.
Today, we are witnessing an interesting trend with brands ageing faster much like what we are observing with people around us. Kathleen McDonnell in her book “The Hurried Child” looks at how children are being pushed on to the fast track to adult success by societal pressures and anxious parents. Physical and behavioral changes that would have been typical of teenagers decades ago are now common among "tweens" — kids ages 8 to 12. The lines that used to distinguish between adulthood and childhood are growing blurred and the evidence is all around us with 6-year old girls dressing-up in navel bearing outfits and 8-year old boys playing adult computer games.
Technology and consumerism are having a similar impact on the lifecycle of brands. Globalization, rapid communication and technological advancements have accelerated the ageing of brands. The internet has been a significant inflection point here as it enables the rapid dissemination of ideas and development of products around the globe. In effect, it acts to shorten the lifecycle in many categories.
Products emerge, surge, diffuse and are purged. With changing consumer tastes and preferences, some products becomes popular relatively quickly, but are also losing popularity dramatically and are being replaced by the next bright promise. Why are we witnessing this trend? Novelty attracts our nervous systems; our faith is progress and our passion is hope. Something new might be the next great thing (the last one sure wasn't); no matter how bizarre it seems at first.
All this has led to the product life-cycle curve becoming steeper today than ever before, indicating that an increasingly large proportion of sales occur soon after the introduction of the product. A narrow window of opportunity exists to earn profits on a new product before competition catches up and margins begin to shrink. It is not only imperative for companies to be first-to-market with their product, but also to be able to ramp-to-volume quickly to meet early product demand. With shortened life cycles, companies cannot afford to miss out on the initial bang, and stock-out becomes an expensive proposition. But with technological advances, the quality of products is improving greatly resulting in an interesting paradox for marketers – while the products are lasting longer, the time in which they are outmoded is growing shorter.
Thus, in effect, the S-curve is changing shape in the case of a number of product categories with the curve getting steeper at the growth stage and a longer lasting flattened curve at the maturity stage.
That is why, from planning to implementation to the final act of selling, marketers have had to fast forward their act. This impacts everything: from designing products to logistics to distribution, to marketing communication. Marketers have to invest heavily in a short span of time for the maximum returns. The gains are great, so too are the risks.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Does celebrity advertising work?
In India celebrity advertising is being used across the entire spectrum of products and services that people use it in their day-to-day lives. Today, it is nearly impossible to witness an ad break without having a celebrity endorsing some product. Colgate toothpaste, Lux soap, Pepsi, Airtel, Mayur suiting, LG refrigerators, Chevrolet Aveo, etc. – across categories - are using celebrities to endorse their products. India is still a growing economy and the competition between players is quite intense. With products being more-or-less at par, marketers are jostling to snatch the customer at the time of purchase. Different categories use celebrities for a variety of purposes. In the case of most FMCG products, the usage of celebrities is more from a saliency building perspective with the added benefit that celebrities are able to build an instant connect with the target audience. In certain categories with no history of celebrity advertising, the usage of one by a brand could help to differentiate the brand from competitors. When Palmolive used Kapil Dev in the 1980s, the first of its kind in the category, his line ‘Palmolive da jawab nahin’ became an instant hit and is remembered even today.
The thing with celebrity advertising is that the role they play if different for different categories. And so, in the case of FMCG products the role of celebrities is quite different from what it is when it comes to durables or lifestyle products. As we go up the value chain towards durables and automobiles, the brand used by celebrities does impact the perceptions of that brand. So, when a Shahrukh Khan sports a Tag Heuer, it connotes certain imagery and provides a certain asprational value for the brand. And in public, it would be inappropriate to witness him wearing any other brand. That is reason why marketers insist that celebrities use the products they endorse in public as well. This does have a positive rub-off on the perception of the brand and the final purchase. Thus, apart from generating saliency and connect, the celebrity is able to send across a brand message fast. The same is true for automobile advertising where celebrities are used.
Take for example, the use of Rani and Saif for Chevrolet Aveo. Chevrolet Aveo was launched in March 2006 at a time when the auto industry was growing rapidly and with cut-throat competition. The Chevrolet Aveo is a new generation car with class leading performance, amazing looks and style and great mileage. Hence we were looking at ambassadors who not only connected emotionally with the audience but also embodied the two dimensions of performance and aesthetics, substance and style plus class and exuberance. The search brought us to Saif and Rani, two new generation and very successful stars. They represent style, class and depth. In the roles that they have featured, they have won the hearts of millions and are well entrenched icons for the people that the campaign was addressing. Together they dramatised the superiority of Aveo over the competition and brought alive the positioning of Aveo as the embodiment of great performance and immaculate aesthetics. The brand has positively benefited as the celebrity values, category benefits and brand values were closely interlinked.
All said and done, it has to be said that the debate on celebrity advertising could go either ways. The success of celebrity advertising depends on the strength of the creative thought and the usage of the right celebrity. If the thought is weak, the chances are that the celebrity is remembered more than the brand he/she is endorsing.
The thing with celebrity advertising is that the role they play if different for different categories. And so, in the case of FMCG products the role of celebrities is quite different from what it is when it comes to durables or lifestyle products. As we go up the value chain towards durables and automobiles, the brand used by celebrities does impact the perceptions of that brand. So, when a Shahrukh Khan sports a Tag Heuer, it connotes certain imagery and provides a certain asprational value for the brand. And in public, it would be inappropriate to witness him wearing any other brand. That is reason why marketers insist that celebrities use the products they endorse in public as well. This does have a positive rub-off on the perception of the brand and the final purchase. Thus, apart from generating saliency and connect, the celebrity is able to send across a brand message fast. The same is true for automobile advertising where celebrities are used.
Take for example, the use of Rani and Saif for Chevrolet Aveo. Chevrolet Aveo was launched in March 2006 at a time when the auto industry was growing rapidly and with cut-throat competition. The Chevrolet Aveo is a new generation car with class leading performance, amazing looks and style and great mileage. Hence we were looking at ambassadors who not only connected emotionally with the audience but also embodied the two dimensions of performance and aesthetics, substance and style plus class and exuberance. The search brought us to Saif and Rani, two new generation and very successful stars. They represent style, class and depth. In the roles that they have featured, they have won the hearts of millions and are well entrenched icons for the people that the campaign was addressing. Together they dramatised the superiority of Aveo over the competition and brought alive the positioning of Aveo as the embodiment of great performance and immaculate aesthetics. The brand has positively benefited as the celebrity values, category benefits and brand values were closely interlinked.
All said and done, it has to be said that the debate on celebrity advertising could go either ways. The success of celebrity advertising depends on the strength of the creative thought and the usage of the right celebrity. If the thought is weak, the chances are that the celebrity is remembered more than the brand he/she is endorsing.
Monday, May 28, 2007
“Anti-Incumbency” Syndrome Hits Brands
“Anti-incumbency” – term synonymous with elections and government change. Every 5 years you hear governments getting toppled with the common excuse of being afflicted by the “anti-incumbency” wave. So, what happens – do the governments not deliver on their manifesto or is it a case of pure fatigue or just ‘change for the sake of change’? We would like to believe that during its reign the ruling party would strive ardently to deliver on their agenda in the hope of being returned to power. But yet it is always tougher for the incumbent as the “new” lures you into believing that it would be better and more promising.
This sort of change for ‘change’s sake’ is certainly not unique to governments alone. Infact, it runs rampant in the wonderful world of marketing as well, especially with those brands having the same lifespan as governments in India.
How many times has a good product been dumped just because the new one offers more excitement and a better talk-value? How many times has a perfectly satisfied user succumbed to the temptation of a new experience? “I have been using a Maruti Esteem for years now, so my 10-year old son insisted on next car being a Chevy Aveo” or “We have been using a Whirlpool washing machine for years, lets look at an LG or Samsung model” are increasingly being heard from buyers when it is time for a change.
Consumers are becoming more daring in their expectations due to a myriad of unrelated societal and technological changes. Freed from the shackles of tradition and scarcity, enjoying full access to information and reviews, these consumers are trying out everything “new” – new products, new authors, new holiday destinations, new relationships – new ‘anything and everything’ with complete abandon. Attractive to consumers who are increasingly leading a transient lifestyle governed by a ‘disposable culture’, these consumers are freeing themselves from the hassle of permanent ownerships and possessions. What drives them out is boredom, monotony and the mundane and what drives them in is novelty, discovery and action.
The implications? An obsession with the here & now, an even shorter satisfaction span and a lust to collect as many experiences and stories as possible, is undermining the perceived value of fixed goods & services. The exposure to the brand, the glamour of new product offerings, fatigue with the existing, and the emergence of new wants, needs, and aspirations of the customer is perpetuating this ‘anti-incumbency’ trend in brands.
There are other factors responsible for this syndrome as well. The ability to quickly dispose off what’s no longer required is driving promiscuous consumption as people are no longer worried about buying the wrong product and getting stuck with it. This is being driven by the successful emergence of different auction sites. Consumers are aware that there will be residual value and they are willing to take more chances because they know there’s an exit if they have made a mistake. This is giving birth to an ‘exchange’ trend in the durables’ space especially in high value categories like cars, high-end electronic goods, etc.
Living in the world of abundance, the audience today is getting greedy and is the most fickle. In terms of product loyalty, they are champion polygamists. Every current trend is writ largely with them. The fragmentation of mass audiences, their willy-nilly flight from one platform to another is redefining the conventional definition of loyalty.
How many times have you heard that “it costs several times more to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one?” But with the emergence of this polygamous lot, the question begging to be asked is “Is it now time to forget loyalty?”
There’s widespread agreement that customers generally get sick and tired of the product that they have been using for a while. So, what’s the elixir that will invigorate them?
The challenge with building customer loyalty is that it has shifted from being defined only by such tangibles as quality and price to mainly being defined by intangibles such as values, cultures, attitude, etc. So, to deflect the impact of brand fatigue, companies should invest in intangibles at subtle levels. As far as functionality is concerned, given the current competitive market, one is bound to try new things because product innovation is at its peak. The mass consumers today are children of liberalization and it’s too soon to get hitched.
New offerings and launches will continue to attract customer and be successful because the market isn’t saturated enough to show signs of loyalty. A 4-year old Chevrolet has been one of the fastest growing car brands in the country and has a long way to go.
And there will be many more such categories and products.
Today, even the loyalists’ brands admit that in such a dynamic market, loyalty is not enough. You have to appease the consumer consistently.
The point is that we need to shift away from the traditional definition of loyalty because the customer who “never” switches products or brands is impossible to find? The challenge is to ensure that the customer enjoys and cherishes the relationship during and after the relationship is over, to assuage the effects of the ‘anti-incumbency’ trend.
This sort of change for ‘change’s sake’ is certainly not unique to governments alone. Infact, it runs rampant in the wonderful world of marketing as well, especially with those brands having the same lifespan as governments in India.
How many times has a good product been dumped just because the new one offers more excitement and a better talk-value? How many times has a perfectly satisfied user succumbed to the temptation of a new experience? “I have been using a Maruti Esteem for years now, so my 10-year old son insisted on next car being a Chevy Aveo” or “We have been using a Whirlpool washing machine for years, lets look at an LG or Samsung model” are increasingly being heard from buyers when it is time for a change.
Consumers are becoming more daring in their expectations due to a myriad of unrelated societal and technological changes. Freed from the shackles of tradition and scarcity, enjoying full access to information and reviews, these consumers are trying out everything “new” – new products, new authors, new holiday destinations, new relationships – new ‘anything and everything’ with complete abandon. Attractive to consumers who are increasingly leading a transient lifestyle governed by a ‘disposable culture’, these consumers are freeing themselves from the hassle of permanent ownerships and possessions. What drives them out is boredom, monotony and the mundane and what drives them in is novelty, discovery and action.
The implications? An obsession with the here & now, an even shorter satisfaction span and a lust to collect as many experiences and stories as possible, is undermining the perceived value of fixed goods & services. The exposure to the brand, the glamour of new product offerings, fatigue with the existing, and the emergence of new wants, needs, and aspirations of the customer is perpetuating this ‘anti-incumbency’ trend in brands.
There are other factors responsible for this syndrome as well. The ability to quickly dispose off what’s no longer required is driving promiscuous consumption as people are no longer worried about buying the wrong product and getting stuck with it. This is being driven by the successful emergence of different auction sites. Consumers are aware that there will be residual value and they are willing to take more chances because they know there’s an exit if they have made a mistake. This is giving birth to an ‘exchange’ trend in the durables’ space especially in high value categories like cars, high-end electronic goods, etc.
Living in the world of abundance, the audience today is getting greedy and is the most fickle. In terms of product loyalty, they are champion polygamists. Every current trend is writ largely with them. The fragmentation of mass audiences, their willy-nilly flight from one platform to another is redefining the conventional definition of loyalty.
How many times have you heard that “it costs several times more to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one?” But with the emergence of this polygamous lot, the question begging to be asked is “Is it now time to forget loyalty?”
There’s widespread agreement that customers generally get sick and tired of the product that they have been using for a while. So, what’s the elixir that will invigorate them?
The challenge with building customer loyalty is that it has shifted from being defined only by such tangibles as quality and price to mainly being defined by intangibles such as values, cultures, attitude, etc. So, to deflect the impact of brand fatigue, companies should invest in intangibles at subtle levels. As far as functionality is concerned, given the current competitive market, one is bound to try new things because product innovation is at its peak. The mass consumers today are children of liberalization and it’s too soon to get hitched.
New offerings and launches will continue to attract customer and be successful because the market isn’t saturated enough to show signs of loyalty. A 4-year old Chevrolet has been one of the fastest growing car brands in the country and has a long way to go.
And there will be many more such categories and products.
Today, even the loyalists’ brands admit that in such a dynamic market, loyalty is not enough. You have to appease the consumer consistently.
The point is that we need to shift away from the traditional definition of loyalty because the customer who “never” switches products or brands is impossible to find? The challenge is to ensure that the customer enjoys and cherishes the relationship during and after the relationship is over, to assuage the effects of the ‘anti-incumbency’ trend.
Meet the new marketer
Imagine this scenario: sitting in an aircraft busy making the last minute changes in your big presentation which will decide the next year’s road map strategy for your brand. A nudgy happy young man, about 20, sitting next to you, peering over your shoulder, just can’t resist blurting out, “Pardon my intrusion, looks like I could be your customer, but I kind of don’t relate to your description of the audience…seems a little theoretical and outdated.
As curious as I am to imagine his reaction, the situation today may not be totally hypothetical. You probably did forget to add him in your definition. Your next door neighbour could well turn out to be your customer and a smarter marketer at the same time.
There is a sea change in the consumer’s outlook towards his life today. The democracy game is taking its true form now. The customer today knows that he is not a part of a mob, is aware of his worth and is ready to take matters in his own hands. Users are creating content that other users find appealing. The rise of the many “express yourself” platforms highlights this dominant need to connect. Youtube, MySpace, Flicker, SeeMe TV to name a few. Today a recorded strumming of the guitar in the confines of one's room, when uploaded on YouTube can invite viewer hits running into thousands. A day-to-day example of this phenomenon is the increase in citizen journalism, where users, armed with camera phones, laptops etc. are capturing news events and publishing them on the net or live news channels. Having a personal blog is almost a fashion statement today.
And when freedom of self expression becomes fashion, the trend cannot be ignored. Marketers need to harness this trend by co-creating content with their consumers. Let your customers come up with your products for you. The power of harnessing your customers’ insights is amazing. You are connecting directly to the insights, dreams and beliefs of your customers, ensuring that you will hit a home-run with the rest of the world too.. And the funny thing is – they will do it for free, and even create the right buzz for you.
This trend might well turn out to be a marketer’s most competitive tool of obtaining customer-centric brand propositions and put an end to the conventional approaches to marketing.
In the traditional system of value creation, the consumer had a secondary role. His needs were merely second guessed and the connection was a one way road, from the product to the consumer.
The USP was a proposition to the customer that the competition either cannot or does not offer. It had to be unique – either a unique feature of the product or a claim not otherwise made in that particular product category. On the face of it, there seems nothing wrong with the USP theory. Marketing is all about creating differentiation vis-à-vis competition. However, we must not forget that 50 years back, technological capability was unevenly distributed. In those days a handful of companies had the muscle to innovate, while the rest were hurriedly trying to emulate them. Owing to technological disparity, there was a huge delay in imitator products hitting the market. This gave the innovating company ample time to harvest the profitability from these innovations. The Unique Selling Proposition, which focused on differences from what competition had to offer, was probably a viable strategy then.
Things changed rapidly with the significant strides in the field of Information Technology that led to instant availability of information which leveled the playing field and democraticised quality of products. More and more companies became champions at churning out me-too products with a slight change that made them legally acceptable. Thus, it became very difficult for manufacturers to create focused product advantages as means to brand building and creating differentiation and thus began the age of parity where consumers did not perceive any meaningful difference between brands.
Enter the Unique Buying Proposition, UBP. The USP was essentially what the marketer wanted to say through the product whereas the UBP was something that the consumer needed to hear that the marketer could say. It was a complete 180 degree change in approach to the entire process of marketing and the basic premise of this was that the only sustainable source of competitive advantage was a thorough understanding of the customer. This resulted in multi-million dollars research budgets for marketers in their quest to understand customer motivations and need-gaps. Focus groups, in-depth interviews, dyads, triads and all other forms of research to study the customer for insight – what does the customer really want and how can we connect our product to that primal need. While UBP as a proposition is certainly a better approach to the conventional USP and is still in practice today, the need of the hour has changed.
The consumer is no longer merely a source of input for the brand but is willing to partner with you. The boom in technology has broken the barrier between the marketer and the consumer and managed unison between these ends. The consumer today is astute enough and knows the dynamics of the other side as much as the marketer believes he knows him. Not only is he aware today, but also proactive. The traditional research model of hunting down the target audience and coaxing him with questions is no longer mandatory. As the consumer himself is willing to express his feelings and opinions.
The insight here is to open up your brand to its users. Not limiting the brand to being a spectacle, but being for the people, by the people.
The age of the User Generated Proposition (UGP) is here and now. The power of harnessing your customers’ opinion is not just an opinion now. It may well be the final word.
Some marketers have already started cashing in on the trend. Nokia N-Series’ proposition is not its sleek looks or advanced technology or enough and more space for your world to fit in, but is based on the fact that you can create your own music. Furthermore, it even provides a platform for you to explore yourself and showcase to the world, by backing this proposition with “Discover the DJ in you” contest.
General Motors worldwide has leveraged this trend successfully for the Chevrolet Tahoe. As part of a creative new ad campaign, General Motors teamed up with Donald Trump's 'The Apprentice' franchise to create a website that allowed prospectives to make their own commercials online. The contest was called “Make your own Tahoe”. The readers had a handle on selecting backgrounds, video shots, as well as input text for the commercial.
All this points out clearly to one thing. There is no defined conveyer and receiver of the message today. The boundaries are osmotic. Thus, the consumer will define what he wants. And if you have the muscle to deliver it, you can hope to score!
As curious as I am to imagine his reaction, the situation today may not be totally hypothetical. You probably did forget to add him in your definition. Your next door neighbour could well turn out to be your customer and a smarter marketer at the same time.
There is a sea change in the consumer’s outlook towards his life today. The democracy game is taking its true form now. The customer today knows that he is not a part of a mob, is aware of his worth and is ready to take matters in his own hands. Users are creating content that other users find appealing. The rise of the many “express yourself” platforms highlights this dominant need to connect. Youtube, MySpace, Flicker, SeeMe TV to name a few. Today a recorded strumming of the guitar in the confines of one's room, when uploaded on YouTube can invite viewer hits running into thousands. A day-to-day example of this phenomenon is the increase in citizen journalism, where users, armed with camera phones, laptops etc. are capturing news events and publishing them on the net or live news channels. Having a personal blog is almost a fashion statement today.
And when freedom of self expression becomes fashion, the trend cannot be ignored. Marketers need to harness this trend by co-creating content with their consumers. Let your customers come up with your products for you. The power of harnessing your customers’ insights is amazing. You are connecting directly to the insights, dreams and beliefs of your customers, ensuring that you will hit a home-run with the rest of the world too.. And the funny thing is – they will do it for free, and even create the right buzz for you.
This trend might well turn out to be a marketer’s most competitive tool of obtaining customer-centric brand propositions and put an end to the conventional approaches to marketing.
In the traditional system of value creation, the consumer had a secondary role. His needs were merely second guessed and the connection was a one way road, from the product to the consumer.
The USP was a proposition to the customer that the competition either cannot or does not offer. It had to be unique – either a unique feature of the product or a claim not otherwise made in that particular product category. On the face of it, there seems nothing wrong with the USP theory. Marketing is all about creating differentiation vis-à-vis competition. However, we must not forget that 50 years back, technological capability was unevenly distributed. In those days a handful of companies had the muscle to innovate, while the rest were hurriedly trying to emulate them. Owing to technological disparity, there was a huge delay in imitator products hitting the market. This gave the innovating company ample time to harvest the profitability from these innovations. The Unique Selling Proposition, which focused on differences from what competition had to offer, was probably a viable strategy then.
Things changed rapidly with the significant strides in the field of Information Technology that led to instant availability of information which leveled the playing field and democraticised quality of products. More and more companies became champions at churning out me-too products with a slight change that made them legally acceptable. Thus, it became very difficult for manufacturers to create focused product advantages as means to brand building and creating differentiation and thus began the age of parity where consumers did not perceive any meaningful difference between brands.
Enter the Unique Buying Proposition, UBP. The USP was essentially what the marketer wanted to say through the product whereas the UBP was something that the consumer needed to hear that the marketer could say. It was a complete 180 degree change in approach to the entire process of marketing and the basic premise of this was that the only sustainable source of competitive advantage was a thorough understanding of the customer. This resulted in multi-million dollars research budgets for marketers in their quest to understand customer motivations and need-gaps. Focus groups, in-depth interviews, dyads, triads and all other forms of research to study the customer for insight – what does the customer really want and how can we connect our product to that primal need. While UBP as a proposition is certainly a better approach to the conventional USP and is still in practice today, the need of the hour has changed.
The consumer is no longer merely a source of input for the brand but is willing to partner with you. The boom in technology has broken the barrier between the marketer and the consumer and managed unison between these ends. The consumer today is astute enough and knows the dynamics of the other side as much as the marketer believes he knows him. Not only is he aware today, but also proactive. The traditional research model of hunting down the target audience and coaxing him with questions is no longer mandatory. As the consumer himself is willing to express his feelings and opinions.
The insight here is to open up your brand to its users. Not limiting the brand to being a spectacle, but being for the people, by the people.
The age of the User Generated Proposition (UGP) is here and now. The power of harnessing your customers’ opinion is not just an opinion now. It may well be the final word.
Some marketers have already started cashing in on the trend. Nokia N-Series’ proposition is not its sleek looks or advanced technology or enough and more space for your world to fit in, but is based on the fact that you can create your own music. Furthermore, it even provides a platform for you to explore yourself and showcase to the world, by backing this proposition with “Discover the DJ in you” contest.
General Motors worldwide has leveraged this trend successfully for the Chevrolet Tahoe. As part of a creative new ad campaign, General Motors teamed up with Donald Trump's 'The Apprentice' franchise to create a website that allowed prospectives to make their own commercials online. The contest was called “Make your own Tahoe”. The readers had a handle on selecting backgrounds, video shots, as well as input text for the commercial.
All this points out clearly to one thing. There is no defined conveyer and receiver of the message today. The boundaries are osmotic. Thus, the consumer will define what he wants. And if you have the muscle to deliver it, you can hope to score!
The car advertising in India
Are consumers buying a car or are they buying a brand? Are brands locked in mere functional objectivities?
Since liberalization, the Indian car industry has witnessed the entry of a large number of automobile brands. As increased competition eventually rallies price equality, product and brand value propositions become key to selling strategies. In India, car brands are sold only on functional constructs and have somewhat fallen short on delineating strong, powerful brand constructs. Brands are grappling with functional or value differentiators at best leveraged to emotional benefits. Is there a force of constraint that limits brands or does the category need a finer understanding?
At one level, the Indian car industry is still at a very nascent stage with a large number of the middle class still acquiring their first car ever. The middle class has entered the consumerism era and the fascination for features and functional efficiency are the dominant parameters of luxury. Buying a car is practical indulgence. Most successful brands in the category have leveraged their strengths confined within functional constructs and this is true of all segments….be it entry level or top end premium segments. From a Maruti 800 to a Skoda or even a Honda Accord are relying on their inherent product strengths in positioning themselves. The obsession with feature driven benefits limits brands from exploring stronger brand ideologies outside the territory of functional benefits. How can brands really carve a space of their own that emerges outside the pure functional benefits? And at the end of the day, are we selling features or are we creating a brand?
Every car has an instinctive character of its own that comes from its design. If cars are a reflection of the owner’s identity, the identity needs to take its roots from the car itself and not the imagined owner. The different components of design, form, exteriors, interiors, all interact in a manner that collectively form a spirit of the automobile which should be brought to life. Brands need to unlock themselves from reducing the whole to parts and instead define the collective spirit of the automotive. In doing so, we can transform the language of the machine to a human spirit. This spirit identified will insinuate metaphorical associations that form the basis of a brand ideology. When a brand carves an ideology for itself, it professes a belief and philosophy of life which has more powerful social and cultural meanings than a singular emotional payoff. Brands need to enlarge the canvas of thought.
The traditional Indian mindset, known to be obsessive with time references of the past and the future, is changing. With increasing opportunities, rising incomes have short-circuited aspirations, bringing dreams closer to reality. Market dynamics of loans and credit cards have made it possible for us to believe in life today. We are increasingly living in the present. As car models are designed and re-designed to meet contemporary aesthetic codes, Indian car advertising has failed to capture cars as symbolic references of fashion and style statements. Cars are sensational and have drool value, but brands have instead characterized the aesthetics into a lifestyle statement. The increasing culture of accessorizing cars is a statement of style, and not of lifestyle. The difference in fashion versus lifestyle lies in the reference of time. While fashion is the expression of a person’s identity today, lifestyle embodies aspirations of tomorrow. India is metamorphosing into a world of aesthetics. The Indian consumer is being driven to consciously appreciate aesthetic form. From the glamour of shopping malls to fashion in Bollywood to modern café outlets, experience through ambience and aesthetic appeal has exposed the Indian consumer to the design culture. Brands need to align with the inherent sensational language of the category and infuse codes of fashion and aesthetics, which seem to be missing from current car advertising. While this need not be central to the core ideology, the brand personality that it will evoke plays a critical role for imagery associations and aspirations.
Lastly, every brand needs to be put to test. We rely too much on research and as a consequence brands have become only a reflection of consumer mind states. We need to understand that brands can occupy a special space in consumers’ lives by filling a gap, by being the inspirational ideology of the times and not a mere code of association. Music and religion have that power because they fill gaps in a culture’s philosophy and brands must aspire to achieve that stature.
Since liberalization, the Indian car industry has witnessed the entry of a large number of automobile brands. As increased competition eventually rallies price equality, product and brand value propositions become key to selling strategies. In India, car brands are sold only on functional constructs and have somewhat fallen short on delineating strong, powerful brand constructs. Brands are grappling with functional or value differentiators at best leveraged to emotional benefits. Is there a force of constraint that limits brands or does the category need a finer understanding?
At one level, the Indian car industry is still at a very nascent stage with a large number of the middle class still acquiring their first car ever. The middle class has entered the consumerism era and the fascination for features and functional efficiency are the dominant parameters of luxury. Buying a car is practical indulgence. Most successful brands in the category have leveraged their strengths confined within functional constructs and this is true of all segments….be it entry level or top end premium segments. From a Maruti 800 to a Skoda or even a Honda Accord are relying on their inherent product strengths in positioning themselves. The obsession with feature driven benefits limits brands from exploring stronger brand ideologies outside the territory of functional benefits. How can brands really carve a space of their own that emerges outside the pure functional benefits? And at the end of the day, are we selling features or are we creating a brand?
Every car has an instinctive character of its own that comes from its design. If cars are a reflection of the owner’s identity, the identity needs to take its roots from the car itself and not the imagined owner. The different components of design, form, exteriors, interiors, all interact in a manner that collectively form a spirit of the automobile which should be brought to life. Brands need to unlock themselves from reducing the whole to parts and instead define the collective spirit of the automotive. In doing so, we can transform the language of the machine to a human spirit. This spirit identified will insinuate metaphorical associations that form the basis of a brand ideology. When a brand carves an ideology for itself, it professes a belief and philosophy of life which has more powerful social and cultural meanings than a singular emotional payoff. Brands need to enlarge the canvas of thought.
The traditional Indian mindset, known to be obsessive with time references of the past and the future, is changing. With increasing opportunities, rising incomes have short-circuited aspirations, bringing dreams closer to reality. Market dynamics of loans and credit cards have made it possible for us to believe in life today. We are increasingly living in the present. As car models are designed and re-designed to meet contemporary aesthetic codes, Indian car advertising has failed to capture cars as symbolic references of fashion and style statements. Cars are sensational and have drool value, but brands have instead characterized the aesthetics into a lifestyle statement. The increasing culture of accessorizing cars is a statement of style, and not of lifestyle. The difference in fashion versus lifestyle lies in the reference of time. While fashion is the expression of a person’s identity today, lifestyle embodies aspirations of tomorrow. India is metamorphosing into a world of aesthetics. The Indian consumer is being driven to consciously appreciate aesthetic form. From the glamour of shopping malls to fashion in Bollywood to modern café outlets, experience through ambience and aesthetic appeal has exposed the Indian consumer to the design culture. Brands need to align with the inherent sensational language of the category and infuse codes of fashion and aesthetics, which seem to be missing from current car advertising. While this need not be central to the core ideology, the brand personality that it will evoke plays a critical role for imagery associations and aspirations.
Lastly, every brand needs to be put to test. We rely too much on research and as a consequence brands have become only a reflection of consumer mind states. We need to understand that brands can occupy a special space in consumers’ lives by filling a gap, by being the inspirational ideology of the times and not a mere code of association. Music and religion have that power because they fill gaps in a culture’s philosophy and brands must aspire to achieve that stature.
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